Fall
by Bai Hikari Tsubasa
Summary: Summary: The Kou Empire's rise to power has been fraught with many dark dealings and the Ren Hakus' story was just one in the list of many.
1. Before the Fall

**Before the Fall**

The Kou Empire, formerly a small country in the far Eastern continent, rose to power in the last decade when Emperor Hakutoku ascended the throne. The Ren Household belonged originally to a military family serving directly under a Tenka nobility. It was not until a large revolt between the three royal branches of the Tenka rule did Hakutoku take the opportunity to overthrow the royalty. He set about uniting the three branches under one name and established the Kou Empire.

No man was said to possess a greater ambition and foresight than the First Kou Emperor, not even the hundreds of leaders in the Tenka clans before him. Under his reign, Ren Hakutoku vastly expanded their territories, restored the court system, increased citizens' rights and implemented the _Huang_ currency. The Kou Empire flourished under his guidance.

This was known as the start and 'Golden Era' of Kou history.

After completing the organization of their internal system, Hakutoku continued to expand in the plains. Scattered clans and tribes came under the Kou rule either via voluntary submission or military defeat. Some of the smaller countries also assimilated into the growing empire, adding to their resources and influence.

Within the span of a few years the once-small country became recognized as a formidable power to contend with even though they didn't have any dungeon conquerors back then. Large portions of the resources obtained from other clans and countries were devoted to the Kou military, which helped further their conquests and borders.

It was in such a military that Kouen presently resided in.

His army was set on a mission to bring a nomadic clan under their wing. The clan was one of the last few in the Central Plains to resist the Kou rule. They were a particularly troubling clan, their constantly moving behavior lending to their elusiveness. Their horsemen were also one of the finest across the Plains aside from the Kouga clan, in which they constantly roam near the Kou borders, picking off lone travelers and merchant groups. Unable to ignore their actions any longer, Hakutoku ordered for the clan to be subdued.

The Kou army had traveled for the past few days following scant leads until they finally spotted black smokes rising in the horizon. The main division stopped near the vicinity while the reconnaissance team scoped the terrains. Other supporting divisions began circling the landscape, spreading out in a crescent shape and rounding off any escape routes for the clan.

Kouen belonged to the second division, which was temporarily joined with the first and main division. They rested behind a sand dune while the army set up for the next attack. His tent was a lavish thing near the center of the encampment, providing sufficient protection and comfort for the young noble.

_Comfort indeed_. Kouen grumbled. The place was the furthest thing from comfort that he could think of. Not only were the enemy frontlines just a few miles off, but he was amidst dangerous people as well. He wondered if the bodyguards trailing after him were trying to protect him or protect others against him.

It was no secret that the first emperor's brother coveted the throne. Naturally, the caution against the emperor's brother was extended to the rest of his family members as well. They feared Kouen's growing power and his potential as a rebel faction in the future. In order to assuage this concern, Kouen was purposefully delegated to the forefront of the subjugation army. The more the branch family's powers were distributed, the less likely they will form a large enough threat to the emperor. Of course, there was also the implicit expectation that Kouen would perish in skirmishes such that his death could be written off as enemy-caused.

Nonetheless, Kouen accepted the position easily enough. He saw no reason why he should go against the first emperor when Kou was thriving under the contemporary rule. On the contrary, he was inspired by the man who was known to be as much of a scholar as a leader. Many of his evenings were spent studying about the Kou system that Hakutoku implemented and the man's ingenuity constantly astounded him.

One of the most inspiring plans he heard passingly from the first emperor was the unification of the world. It had been an accident when Kouen sneaked into Hakutoku's personal garden to retrieve the feathered shuttle cock that his younger siblings had hit over. He passed by the emperor's chambers when he overheard the emperor talking to his oldest son. It was the plan to unify the world with only one leader to govern the people. Once the difference between the races has been reduced, peace would arrive. Of course, paving the road towards this ambition requires some sacrifices as well, but for the sake of the final outcome, Kouen thought the sacrifices were a small one.

He moved around the camp, bored out of his mind. The only shortcoming of being in the army was that they couldn't afford to bring a lot of literature along with them. He had already finished reading the books he brought at least two times. It was no use talking to the others either when they were apparently cautious of him.

"Kouen, is that you?"

The red-headed boy stiffened. When he spotted the First Prince, he genuflected. "Good evening, First Prince of Kou and general of the main subjugation army. May you prosper in your endeavors and lead our people to victory. What do you seek of this one?" He recited the standard greeting lines imprinted into them since they were young.

Hakuyuu narrowed his eyes, "You may get up."

"Thank you, your honorable."

"Follow me," Hakuyuu indicated by a tilt of his head for his younger cousin to accompany him. "I seek to discuss matters with you." He led them to his personal camp and waved off the guards standing outside the structure, silencing their protests with a quick glare.

Kouen shifted slightly. The First Prince had always commanded his respect and fear in some ways. The man was intimidating and smart, taking after his father's exemplary qualities. He was also not one of many words, making it hard to decipher the man's intentions. Although Hakuyuu was gentle and caring towards his younger relatives, making no distinction between his own blood and that of his cousins', he was also fast to deliver punishment on anyone who dared overstep the line. All in all, he was a man that demanded respect and inspired awe whenever he went.

When they entered his tent, Hakuyuu indicated for Kouen to sit by the low table. The boy remained standing until the prince took a seat and only then he followed suit, all the while keeping his eyes on the floors.

"Do you know why I brought you here today?" Hakuyuu started the conversation, eyeing his relative. "I give you permission to look at me when talking to me."

Kouen looked up, his mind churning through a thousand different things that might have gone wrong and warrant the prince's attention. Coming up with nothing, he attempted, "I am afraid not, your reverence. Please enlighten me."

"You can drop the formalities when we are not in public," Hakuyuu commented off-handedly before dropping his smile and staring straight into Kouen's eyes. "Amongst all my younger siblings and relatives, you are the most learned; hence I called upon you in this moment to seek your opinion."

"You honored me, your – Brother* Hakuyuu," Kouen quickly changed his title when Hakuyuu raised his eyebrow questioningly. "What do you want to discuss?"

"What do you think about our empire's internal system?"

"Pardon me?" Kouen didn't understand the sudden question. "Did you mean the economy? Or the high militaristic focus?"

"I mean what the Emperor had done." Hakuyuu's eyes were uncannily sharp as it bored into Kouen, as if trying to see past Kouen's verbal answers to the true thoughts underlying it. "Speak freely; none of our talk will travel past this tent."

Kouen drew in a breath as he formulated his response. "The Emperor was right in allowing two main branches of powers within the court – the combination of parliamentary officers and military leaders provide a never-before balance of powers. Moreover, by interjecting during the heights of the former Tenka wars when people were desperate for a change, the Emperor successfully installed his new currency and governing system. These are the more obvious successes, but the Emperor's true ingenuity comes in other less perceivable ways. For example, he gathered the former leaders of the Tenka clans near the capital and offered them spots in the government. On the surface, it provided the Tenka leaders with powers; but in actuality, he intends to focus the Tenka leaders in one spot for easier monitoring and also remove them from their people to make it harder to agglomerate powers."

Hakuyuu allowed a rare smile to flit across his face as he watched his younger cousin's enthusiasm. He was well-versed in the workings of their empire indeed. "Then what do you think of the emperor's true intention?"

"His true intention?"

"Come now," Hakuyuu leaned forward slightly, his easy smile a few seconds ago turning slightly more cunning. "Surely you don't think unifying the Tenka clans is father's only true goal? Why bother going to such lengths to conquer other nations if he didn't have other goals?"

This was a dangerous question. The prince's smile seemed to suggest that he knew Kouen was in the garden when Hakutoku revealed his ambition of the one world. But at the same time, he couldn't be too sure to what extent the prince knew about his knowledge of the topic. He decided to play safe. "I am afraid I know not what you are talking about."

It could be Kouen's imagination, but he thought he saw the side of Hakuyuu's smile quirked in a forced angle before the prince laughed politely.

"Sorry for asking such strange questions, please ignore it. However, given that you have been around the palace a lot and are quite observant, I take it that you have noticed some abnormality?"

"I am not sure what abnormality you are referring to."

Hakuyuu moved towards the entrance of the tent and peeked outside for a bit, ensuring that there was no one else around them before moving back towards the table. When he spoke again, his voice was much lower. "Did you not see the veiled men that intermingle amongst the merchants and nobles? Perhaps you still recall the man who introduced himself as the 'Banker' a few months back?"

Kouen nodded. "Yes. He had a dangerous aura about him. It was fortunate that his Excellency was wise and rejected the man's offer."

"But they continued to stay around the palace, which meant that someone else was allowing their presence, someone with sufficient status."

"This is most likely the case."

"I don't like how they loiter around our house, especially near our younger siblings. Just last week Koumei complained to Hakuren about seeing one of them in his palace wing."

Kouen frowned. How had he not heard about this from his own brother? Granted that Koumei was close to the Second Prince, but when it comes down to it, Kouen was still Koumei's older brother. _He_ should be informed first. "What did they do with Koumei?"

Hakuyuu shrugged. "Nothing much, from what I heard. They were just there."

Something was not right in the equation. "They shouldn't be around Koumei's quarters-" He stopped when he realized his slip. Hakuren was out with the scouting team last week. He was not in contact with Koumei at all.

Across the table Hakuyuu's smile dipped into a smirk. "You _do_ know about them."

Kouen sighed. There was no point trying to hide information from the First Prince. "Unfortunately, my father did not refuse the Banker."

"So it is true that your father employed their help." It was not much of a question as it was a stated observation.

"It is so. They came to my father a few months ago – after the First Emperor rejected 'Banker's' offer – and offered their services to my father. Despite our warnings, my father still took them in under his household. Ever since then, they have access to our family's state of affairs, though they have yet to make any actions other than consult with my father."

Hakuyuu contemplated what Kouen revealed to him. Not only were these people appearing all over the empire, but they were already infiltrating the royal family affairs. If their uncle was somehow involved, things could escalate quickly. "Where do you think they would strike?"

Kouen looked at him quizzically. His curiosity was piqued now. "They will strike?"

"Let us assume the worst for the sake of this conversation – which I think is not far from the mark considering the vibe I got from the Banker last time – let us assume that they meant harm for the empire."

"Given how they dispersed amongst the people, I think they will start from the bottom rungs by installing unrest in the minds of the people. The members inside the court will try to work on the weak links between the different factions. For example, pitching the military branch against the parliamentary branch or the three different former Tenka clans against one another."

Hakuyuu nodded sagely. "That was what I thought too. Well, I think it is about time," he looked at the darkening sky outside the tent. "Thank you very much for sharing your views with me. Rest assured that nothing you said will make it past to unwanted parties. You may leave."

"Thank you very much for entertaining my presence," Kouen unconsciously reverted back to formal speech, clasping his hands in front of him before exiting the tent. It was only when he was outside that he realized Hakuyuu had not revealed any of his own information. Instead, the prince had made him pour out all that he knew. Strangely, Kouen didn't feel like he was betraying his father through revealing their family's association with the veiled men. If anything, he hoped that Hakuyuu would do something to remove the strangers from their family. There was something very sinister and unearthly about these men. He made his way back into the tent for the night, all the while mulling over their empire's path of progression.

"He is quite astute for his age."

The First Prince turned around to see Hakuren emerging from behind a screen. Unbeknownst to Kouen, the Second Prince was hiding behind the piece of cloth for the entirety of the conversation. While listening in on the conversation, he was also spreading his magoi in a thin layer around the tent, insulating the sounds within the tent.

"He has provided us with some important information about Al-Thamen. As we suspected, Koutoku Ren is somehow involved in the thing."

"Don't worry, I will send a letter first thing in the morning to father. In the meantime, let's hope that Seisyun is keeping a close eye on mother, Ryuu and Ei." Hakuren waved the letter that he had already written during the discussion.

"Seisyun is only a child still," Hakuyuu said. "For now, we need to focus on our current mission and hurry back. I am sure father has already stationed guards over our family."

~oOo~

Rows of soldiers lined the path in the central courtyard of the palace. At the end of the walkway was Hakutoku himself with his faithful generals. He stood tall on a raised platform, allowing him a sweeping view of his courtyard.

A messenger rode through the ranks, waving the Kou flag before stopping before the dais. He hopped down and genuflected before the emperor. "I am pleased to bring news of the princes' safe return and their successful conquest. They will be arriving shortly."

True enough, a blast of horn resounded through the outer walls as the gates opened, allowing the subjugation army to ride in on their horses. Hakuyuu was leading the front, back straight and proud. Behind him rode Hakuren, holding onto a flag and grinning at everyone around him.

Kouen was placed some ways behind, after the important officers and generals in the main division. He saw Koumei, Kouha and the other princesses hiding behind some of the other soldiers. Kouha was being mischievous again as he peeked an eye upward and winked at his passing brother, though Koumei quickly hissed for him to bow his head down.

"Your Excellency, I have brought good tidings about our progress on the Plains. The barbarians have agreed to abide by our terms and become a member of our great empire."

Cheers rang out through the courtyard as everyone congratulated the returning soldiers.

Behind the dais, Gyokuen and her two youngest children watched the procession.

"Look Hakuryuu, this is the empire that your father and brothers have forged. It will one day grow into a strong power that is heard far and wide." Gyokuen smiled as she hugged Hakuryuu in her arms, allowing him to see better.

Hakuryuu giggled happily as he watched his brothers walked inside the palace. The laughter was cut short, however, when he saw the veiled figures standing in the back near Koutoku. He didn't like those masked people ever since he first saw them a few months ago. But every time he complained to his mother, Gyokuen only patted him and assured him that their father would take care of the situation.

By the time night fell, Hakuyuu and Hakuren were once again summoned to their father's chambers for a secret meeting.

"What news do you have of Al-Thamen's movements?"

The two brothers shared a glance before Hakuyuu took the initiative to answer. "We have our suspicions confirmed – Koutoku is somehow associated with the organization."

"I see," Hakutoku stroked his beard contemplatively. "Even so we can't do anything unless we have solid proof on our hands, otherwise my brother will use this as leverage to revolt against us."

Hakuyuu didn't know what prompted him, but he added nonetheless. "None of his children agrees with his doing, there is no need to involve them as well."

Hakutoku laughed mirthlessly. "You'd always had a big heart. I heard you are quite particular about Koutoku's first son, are you not?"

"_Fascinated_. I am fascinated by how intelligent and compassionate he is. If guided correctly, he can become a great leader."

"So be it. I will try to leave them out of the issue as much as possible, but I can give no guarantee. Kouen is the best inside information we can obtain about Al-Thamen, expect him to be involved one way or the other. Continue to keep your eyes and ears open, and take care of the rest of your siblings as well. Dismiss."

The two princes performed a quick salute before exiting from the chamber. They walked side by side as they made their way back to their own wing in the palace.

~oOo~

The palace was casted into chaos with the recent assassination attempt on the first emperor's life. His majesty was returning from a rare expedition from their summer home when a stray arrow struck him on the shoulder. They were passing under the gate arch when the projectile seemingly came out of nowhere. Guards and soldiers immediately surrounded the fallen emperor, acting as a shield around him. They were lucky that the arrowhead wasn't dipped in poison.

A close examination of the arrow's build revealed that it matched the former Western Tenka clan's arrow designs. For the next few days, every member of the court having affiliation with the clan was immediately seized and put under house arrest. No one was allowed to approach them as they were questioned vigorously one by one.

Despite his wound, Emperor Hakutoku returned immediately to his throne. He stamped down any unrest and fear, commanding people to continue on as normal regardless of the missing members inside the court. Any expansion was put on hold.

In the meantime, people in the palace started noticing the conspicuous presence of the veiled men more and more. They didn't do much, staying mostly to the side and watching the events that transpired. They were also rather hard to lay a hand on, disappearing and appearing in various places without preamble.

"Things sure are getting bothersome," Koumei huffed as he flopped onto his study table. In the last few days security around the area had been intensified, though most of them were focused on the former Western Tenka clan members. That meant that the securities placed on them formerly were lifted slightly.

The Kou brothers gathered about in Koumei's study room after having an afternoon off. Without anything to do, they started chatting about the recent events around the palace. It did not escape their notice that things were getting out of control in their own home.

"The Western borders are in unrest as well regarding their court members being put under house arrest," Koumei continued on, waving his fan lazily. "I don't see what the big deal is though – I mean, we didn't have absolute proof _yet_ that the one that shot the arrow was a Western Tenka soldier. They could have just borrowed the arrow."

"The arrow is the only lead we have, might as well start from there," Kouen shrugged, unrolling another scroll. "What bothers me is the veiled people in the palace. They appeared at the same time the arrow was shot. It was no coincidence." He didn't tell his brothers that he had stayed awake for the last few nights trying to solve the mysteries of the link between the assassination attempt and veiled men. It seemed too simple and obvious to attribute the assassination to those men. There was a bigger plan at hand.

"Why would anyone want to kill uncle?" Kouha latched onto Koumei's hair, staring with big round eyes at his older brothers. The second sibling simply swatted him away, returning to his slouched position once more.

That was another mystery that Kouen had yet to solve. It was all too convenient to say that the old Western Tenka faction rebelled against the emperor. There were some remaining grudges in the ex-Western clans, but it should not be strong enough to necessitate an action against the emperor. Besides, why make the attack so obvious that it could be traced back to the Western clan? Why risk having the Central government bear down upon the people when they have most of their powers spread thin in the plains?

Hakuyuu and Hakuren were just returning from checking on their family. So far there had been no mishaps with Hakuryuu or Hakuei. Their younger siblings had complained about their lack of interactions lately, but Hakuyuu assured them that once everything settled down, they would spend more time with their siblings. Strangely enough, the usual boisterous Hakuren was quiet throughout the whole trip.

In fact, he had been quiet for the past few days, a rare contemplative look marring his usual care-free face.

"Is there something wrong?"

Hakuren snapped his head upwards, seeing Hakuyuu looking back at him. He scrunched his brows and after some deliberation, motioned for Hakuyuu to follow him into his room. Once inside, he used magoi manipulation to coat the room again, confirming that no unwanted eavesdropper was nearby.

"I am thinking about the recent case of assassination."

"You have a lead?" Hakuyuu stepped towards his brother, eyes bright and intense.

"I…have my suspicions." Hakuren murmured, looking away.

"Why didn't you tell us then?"

Hakuren shook his head again, biting his lips uncertainly. "Because it is _just_ a suspicion, and…it may not sit well with father. If I do tell you, will you promise me that none of these will make it to father's ears before we have concrete evidence?"

At Hakuyuu's nod, Hakuren continued on. "Recall the incident, where had the arrow been shot from? I saw it with my own eyes that the arrow came from the general direction of the inner archway; in another words, it came from an otherwise heavily guarded station. There is no way that an assassin could make it easily into a place like that unless…"

"Unless he is part of the royal guardsman," Hakuyuu finished off. "Yet no one else caught sight of him, which meant that we have more than one spy inside the court working together. I have thought of it too and this is the biggest possibility." It was not a big surprise given how big and diverse the court is. "I still don't see what makes you so unsettled about it though, this is something we have already gone over."

"That's not the thing that makes me nervous. When the incident happened, I looked over to Ryuu, Ei and mother to make sure they were fine, but then…I saw mother smiling. Of course, I thought I had been wrong because they were far off, there was no way that mother would smile at father's injury," Hakuren stammered, "but, a few nights ago, I saw her passing a scroll to one of those veiled men. I can't describe in details, but I feel like something about her had changed."

"Are you certain about this?"

"As certain as you are standing before me right now."

Hakuyuu nodded and patted his brother on the shoulder. "I will look into it. In the meantime, go back to sleep first, we need a clear mind to sort through the issues."

"Yes." Hakuren bowed to Hakuyuu before the older man exited the room.

As ridiculous as it sounded, Hakuyuu didn't have a hard time believing his brother. Although their parents were quite in love with the other at the start, things have changed over the years. Even though it was not noticeable to the normal passerby, Hakuyuu had observed the gap between his parents growing substantially. They no longer whispered sweet nothings to the other. Even when they passed by each other on the hallway, the former gentleness was replaced by distanced aloofness.

If he asked anyone about it, they would probably attribute it to the emperor having less time to spend with his wife. The expanding empire is robbing him of his personal time, so it was no wonder that they were drifting apart. But Hakuyuu was smarter than that. Like Hakuren, he noticed that something had changed in their mother. She was still sweet and gentle towards her youngest children, but towards Hakuren and him, she was more closed off. Sometimes he caught her staring at them, something cunning in her expression. But as quickly as it came, it disappeared, replaced by the gentle smile.

Perhaps it was like how the ancient idiom goes: there may be a knife behind a smile.

**A/N:**

* Brother – can be used to refer to an actual blood sibling or to an older male that is close

Many of the context and setting is based off Dun Huang and the Forbidden City in China (which Ohtaka had mentioned in the Taiwan interview that she got some of her inspirations from). This might not conform completely with the Magi-verse, but it's the best I could based off from. Sorry! w


	2. During the Fall - Part I

**During the Fall Part I**

A few months had passed since the assassination incident with no new leads, leaving the investigators turning in frustrations while accusatory words ran rampant in the hallways, so it was finally written off as an accident from a stray arrow to end things before the court went out of control. Things were slowly returning to normalcy within the palace as the house-arrested members resumed their positions whilst the subjugation army began their missions once again.

There left, however, an unsaid tension lingering in the air, stemming mainly from the Western Tenka faction who was upset about their unjustified capture, believing that this was the emperor's ploy to further diminish their powers. Although the event was already settled, it left a negative legacy on their reputation: they were treated like bad omens, shunned by the other court members for fear of being involved in any future unruly situations. They fell from being an equal voice in the court to the role of conspirators, reduced to nothing more than a lone island of Western clan in the court when other members retracted their friendly ties.

Things have barely been suppressed before it erupted once again with the third prince's cries.

It was a warm, stuffy night (as wont of summer nights), the sky glowing a dim orange with the first hint of storm. Dark clouds rolled in waves off the distance, obscuring whatever constellations there were.

The youngest imperial prince and first imperial princess have retired early in the evening, leaving the adults to discuss more urgent matters over the dinner table. They were engaged in the middle of a heated debate before screams came from down the hallway. It sounded suspiciously like Hakuryuu's.

Within the blink of an eye, the two imperial princes were off their feet and out of the door, heading straight towards the source. It was no doubt their brother's as they moved closer to his bedroom. The other adults followed suit, but their weapons caught onto one another, acting more as obstacles in the narrowed area.

Hakuren reached the room first. What he saw before him made him take a large step backwards, holding out his hand to stop his older brother from blindly charging inside.

"What is—" Hakuyuu started but Hakuren clamped a hand over his mouth, motioning for him to be silent. He looked quizzically at the younger man, who made a shushing motion and pointed carefully back towards the room. The older prince glimpsed over his brother's shoulder and saw the object of apprehension: a small snake – one particularly known for its venom that could easily kill ten men with one bite – in front of Hakuryuu, the latter of whom was curled over in the corner sobbing.

Their loud entrance distracted the snake temporarily, but it still hadn't move from near its prey. If the people by the doorway were to so much as make a rash action, the creature could easily turn around and sink its fangs into the boy before him.

Hakuren sucked in a tight breath as the others began arriving, their loud clamoring adding to the snake's tension as it began coiling its body in a springing motion.

Hakuyuu turned and glared at the oncoming people, shaking his head vigorously in a silent order for them to stop. The adults halted in the hallway, confused, but obediently heeded their prince's command nonetheless.

"What do we do now?" Hakuren whispered from the side of his mouth, eyes never once leaving the creature. Twin beady eyes tracked his lip movements, tongue flickering in and out to test the air. "It is too close to—STOP!"

His loud cry directed the snake's attention towards him again just as it was about to jump. No one moved a single muscle. The only sound in the room was Hakuryuu's frantic crying.

"Hakuryuu, calm down, I'm here to protect you," Hakuyuu soothed his younger brother through assuming a collected voice. He continued talking in the same tone until the cries dwindled.

In the meantime, Hakuren slowly inched towards the youngest prince, his hand sliding across his spear in preparation to stop the snake by force if need be. Just when he was a few steps from the snake, it suddenly sensed his movements and bared its fangs towards Hakuryuu. The boy _eep_-ed and pushed back, his abrupt action springing the creature into motion.

Hakuren cursed and lunged for the snake at the same time Hakuyuu began running towards them.

But before either of them could reach their youngest brother, an arrow flew through the open window and cleanly impaled itself into the snake's soft underbelly. The creature flew backwards from the impact, writhing a few times before dying.

Hakuyuu glanced at the window from whence the arrow flew from and saw Kouen standing outside, the string on his bow still vibrating from his recent shot. The younger noble gave him a nod and retreated from the window before the first prince was able to express his gratitude.

The next day, every member of the Western clan was seized and placed under house arrest once again, this time for an attempt assassination on the youngest imperial prince. The snake had been a particularly rare type found only in the Western Plains. It was impossible for the animal to make its way into the Central without artificial transportation.

On the other hand, Kouen was thanked for his heroic behavior. As a reward, he was excused from subjugation missions for the next month and gifted with an immense amount of _huang_, none of which the noble was particularly keen about. He was more interested in the new attack and its relation to the assassination incident a few months back along with the mysterious presence of the veiled people. Call it a hunch, but the red-head was certain that this was a historical moment in-the-making, and he was determined to get to the bottom of it.

"Do you think this is the Western clan's revenge for house arresting their members?"

Koumei's head perked up, realizing that the question was addressed to him. "Huh?"

"What are your thoughts on the newest event?" Kouen asked again as he moved a pawn forward. He knew that Koumei was a better strategist than him, which the younger noble had time and time demonstrated by winning him easily in a round of Chinese chess. Perhaps Koumei could make heads of some of the clues.

"Um…I haven't really been thinking about it," Koumei admitted sheepishly while moving another piece without much thought. The whole fiasco sounded like too much trouble and he wasn't particularly keen on using too much of his brain power to dwell on the issue.

"Anything would be fine. For example, who do you suspect is the mastermind behind the events?" Kouen prompted him, jumping ahead and eating two of Koumei's pieces. A smirk flashed across his face at the small achievement.

"Mastermind…" Koumei thought for awhile, not in the least perturbed that he just lost two pawns. "I don't think that the Western clan is responsible for the incidents because the weapon choices are too obvious. I think someone else might be setting them up." One of his pawns moved forward, forming a straight line with two other pieces.

Kouen nodded, glad that his brother's view agreed with him. He ate the three pieces with one move.

"I also think that the two events are just a distraction for some bigger plan."

That got Kouen's interest. "How so?"

Koumei gave a tired sigh as if it was a huge bother to explain everything to his brother. "Why attack the emperor and then the youngest prince? If their goal is to overtake the throne, they should have prioritize the attack on the emperor and first prince rather than the third one, who, may I point out, presents almost no threat at all currently. If they want to eradicate the royal family thoroughly, they could have just planned an attack on all the family members at once, rather than attacking individual members and raising the suspicions." He raised his last pawn, jumped across the board and consumed Kouen's king in one move.

Belatedly Kouen realized that his brother had been setting up his pieces all along by sacrificing smaller pieces. By consuming Koumei's pawns, his own were moved into a straight line that could be easily taken out with a few jumps. It was the perfect gamut.

"So, what are they a distraction from?"

"That," Koumei narrowed his eyes as he closed his eyes tiredly, "is not up for me to say. A true mastermind only makes his kill at the opportune time. "

~oOo~

"Have you obtained any new insights into Al-Thamen's movement?"

The two oldest imperial princes have just finished their war council and were headed towards their mother's chamber. Hakuryuu remained shaken over the event and had been loathed to enter his room ever since. Given that the two older siblings were too busy to take care of him, he chose to loiter around their mother's room.

"None at all. Koumei is as clueless about them as I am." Hakuren answered, narrowing his eyes against the glaring sunlight as they exited a dim hallway. For the past few months, he had approached their second cousin in the hopes of drawing more information, only to draw a blank. He did, however, obtained a closer kinship with the boy. Not that he minded, Koumei was surprisingly insightful on certain things and proved to be a challenging chess player. The boy would be a valuable asset in the future.

"You fancy him, don't you?" Hakuyuu allowed a rare grin to cross his features. He had noted how much more relaxed his brother was after visiting their cousin; there would be a carefree grin on the younger man's face, a lilt in his strides and a bright shine to his eyes.

A dark flush blossomed across Hakuren's cheeks as he averted his eyes to the greeneries outside. "Don't be a pot calling the kettle black. You are peculiar about Kouen as well, aren't you?"

"Seems like we are on the same boat."

A moment passed in peaceful silence as each contemplate about their relatives before Hakuren lowered his head and murmured, "Thank you." It was so quiet that Hakuyuu thought he imagined it.

"Pardon?"

"I want to thank you for suggesting to father about sparing our cousins," Hakuren said, "After interacting with Koumei, I realize how unassociated they are with the organization, or whatever plan that Koutoku has. There really is no reason involving them in the issue."

"I concur. It leaves me with a bad taste knowing that we are using our younger relatives." -_Especially a certain red-haired boy_ -"Be quiet now, we are approaching."

Whatever tranquility they experienced earlier in their conversation dispersed as they arrive at their mother's room. It had been some time since they last saw the woman outside of a formal setting where she wasn't sitting by the emperor's side. Between territorial expansion, internal affairs and a panoply of issues, the two princes hardly had the opportunity to visit the rest of their family, thus drawing a rift between their relationships.

"Mother, we have come for a visit." Hakuyuu knocked, not waiting for an answer before entering.

"Shhh," Gyokuen placed a finger on her lips upon seeing her sons, silencing the two of them immediately. She tilted her head to indicate a sleeping Hakuryuu curled beside her. Although it was a hot mid-afternoon outside, dark, heavy drapes were drawn across the paper windows, preventing any sunlight from penetrating. The air inside the room was stale, smelling of old incense and perfume.

In the darkness of the room, Gyokuen's eyes seemed to gleam an eerie red, matching the crimson wax painted on her upturned lips. There was an unrecognizable expression on her face, one that if Hakuyuu could put a finger to it, was similar to sly mockery.

The older prince felt his brother stiffen beside him, recalling their exchange a few months back. Although there were no further evidence of their mother being affiliated with the Organization, it didn't mean that she was in the clear yet. Just looking at her right now, it wouldn't surprise Hakuyuu if she was related somehow. Her presence radiated an ominous aura.

"I apologize for the intrusion. We will leave now and come back at another time." Stamping down the sudden unease in his chest, he beckoned for Hakuren to follow him out of the room. The younger of the two didn't need further prompting to follow his brother, glad to be away from the frightening atmosphere.

But just as they were about to exit, Gyokuen called out sweetly. "Oh Hakuren?" the grin on her face spread even wider. "Please be a good boy and remember to sleep early. We don't want you too tired for the war councils, do we?" Although her words were those of a concerned mother, there was the unmistakable undertone of warning in her voice.

"Ye…Yes, mother, thank you for your concern." Hakuren whispered, eyes wide. He bowed before making a hasty retreat from the room, not even casting a second glance backwards.

Back in the hallway, the second prince shook visibly, taking deep breaths to calm his beating heart. That was the first time that Hakuyuu observed his brother so distraught outside of a battlefield.

By and by, Hakuren settled down enough to speak.

"Do you think she knows?"

He was referring to the event where he accidentally spied their mother handing a scroll to a member of Al-Thamen.

"Don't think too much about it. For all we know, there could be no additional message underlying her words." Hakuyuu guided his brother away from the room and potentially unwanted ears. From the corner of his eyes he thought he saw a flash of white veil, but it was so fast that it was gone by the time he turned his head. His eyes narrowed. What would someone from the Organization be doing so near to their mother's room?

He motioned for his brother to be quiet as he strode to the spot. However, there was no one there.

"What is it?" Hakuren followed closely behind, eyeing the shadows uncertainly.

"Nothing, let's go back." Hakuyuu casted one last look at the area before turning away, mind churning in thought.

~oOo

In lieu of the Third Imperial Prince's assassination attempt, former members of the Western Tenka clan were not the only ones to be placed under house arrest. To further expand the suspect scope, the emperor ordered the capture of suspicious civilians as well. Overnight, the dungeon transformed into a market of court members, religious leaders, and other ex-Western Tenka people. Each and every one of these people was interrogated harshly, only being released once they prove to be of absolute no harm.

Representatives of the former Western Tenka clan implored the emperor for the release of their people, offering anything from services to large gifts. But none of these swayed Hakutoku's resolve in the least. He was determined to detain the people until they found the assassins for the sake of his family's safety.

However, the interrogations unveiled many issues underlying the foundations of the Empire. First and foremost, there was a steady outflow of _Huang_ and other resources from the Central to the Plains. Many members of the court and other wealthy merchants have been amassing riches and properties in their hometown, thereby depleting the Central's wealth. A closer inspection revealed that this was a common problem amongst the non-ex-Western clans as well. In order to counter this problem, the emperor decreed the forceful return of this wealth in addition to a surplus charge. He also ordered a re-assessment of the empire's account to ensure that the _Huang_ were properly recorded.

Other uncovered problems include illegal trades, extreme poverty in certain provinces, minority and ethnic rights, racial discrimination and monetary inequality between different clans…the list went on and on, delineating the weak supports of the empire.

Hakutoku kneaded his eyebrows as he listened to the most recent report. Most of these problems were expected given the history of the empire and the rate at which it expanded, but he didn't anticipate some of them to be so prominent. Nonetheless, he was still confident in his vision of the one-world. He may not live to witness the outcome of this plan, but at least he could start turning the wheels.

But before that vision could be achieved, he needed to cut some of the problems from its roots before it evolve further. Hakutoku decided to confront some of the issues head-on, negotiating treaties with the more rebellious tribes whilst laying down concrete laws to stamp down unrest. But the problems seemed endless. Where one just died down, another outbreak or protest would happen somewhere else that require immediate attention. There was no doubt unrest in the people, though none knew what could have prompted such responses.

Given the current state of affairs, Hakuyuu figured that he had to take matters into his own hands. He didn't like being kept in the dark, especially when his family's life was threatened twice.

He tried visiting the dungeons, but was denied access under the pretext that it was a dangerous place for the first imperial prince. They haven't removed the suspicion that the assassinations were meant to eradicate the royal family and until then, additional security was placed around the royal members. Even so, the security net was hardly tight – time and time again Hakuyuu found himself slipping away from his 'bodyguards', deeming them more of an annoyance than protection. Really, the more bodyguards that trailed after him, the more his presence stood out to potential attackers.

Being denied, Hakuyuu decided to take a more indirect route.

"Come with me to the market," Hakuyuu called out to Kouen one day. His second brother was still recovering from the shock over the encounter with their mother to accompany him. He also suspected that Gyokuen might be keeping a closer eye on the second prince after he witnessed her secret activity with the veiled men (if what Hakuren saw was indeed true). That left his second cousin as the best candidate to escort him, the younger of which agreed readily.

Dressed in civilian clothing and sneaking out from one of the secret passages of the palace, the royal prince and his cousin mixed with the commoners, keeping mostly to themselves to avoid suspicions. They visited the most crowded areas where gossips were bound to fly freely, staying longer in places to eavesdrop on more interesting topics.

At the same time, the visit provided the golden opportunity for a more in-depth conversation with Kouen.

"Have you observed any new changes with the pests in our house?" Hakuyuu opted to leave out Kouen's name and converse in vague words to avoid eavesdroppers. He pretended to survey a stall while talking, examining the fruits on display.

Kouen understood immediately that the first imperial prince was referring to Al-Thamen. The moment the prince asked for his accompaniment, he already suspected that the prince wished to talk more about the organization. While he had kept a closer eye on them throughout the months out of his own curiosity, in so far there were no new activities from them that he knew of. "They are still as dormant as ever."

"Is that so?" the older man hummed thoughtfully. "Are they still going freely in and out of our larder?"

"Yes, there is still a hole open giving them free access," Kouen answered. His father was still allowing Al-Thamen open passage into the branch family's internal affairs, thereby indirectly giving Al-Thamen permission to observe the royal family's on-goings.

The two stopped as they heard a commotion in front of them. There were people surrounding a lone man in the middle of the square. Kouen and Hakuyuu glanced at each other before climbing onto some wooden crates behind the crowd, giving them leverage to view the entire scene. The man looked no more than a common stand owner, dressed in rough, faded fabric, the stubs on his face betraying the fact that he hadn't shave that morning.

"Down with the emperor and his absurd demands! He captured innocent bystanders, levied a tax upon us and forced us to return out wealth to the government so that they can abuse it. The Central is corrupted, I say!" The man shouted, his eyes wide and wild while he spun around in a circle, trying to encompass everyone in his speech.

His cries were answered by scattered shouts of "hear! Hear!", mainly from people in the lower class as well.

The commotion, however, was short-lived as guards came in and dragged the man – kicking and shouting – off. Just as quickly as it started, the crowd dispersed off, some grumbling about the corrupted Central, but none daring enough to stand their own ground.

The two nobles turned away from the scene, careful to keep their expressions neutral as they mingle back with the flow of the traffic.

"So this is what the public thinks about our rule," Hakuyuu said as he navigated alleys and streets. It was a disturbing prospect. Considering the alacrity at which the guards appeared, this must be a common sight in the market. This meant that the unrest with the empire was growing steadily amongst the commoners, which could propel towards more catastrophic results if not kept under careful surveillance.

"They represent but a small fraction of the people," Kouen answered, following closely in the other's footsteps.

"A small but growing fraction," the older man returned. He turned his head sharply when he thought he saw a member of Al-Thamen disappear into an alley. He traced their footsteps, but once again was disappointed with an empty dead-end. Even though he couldn't see anyone, his was confident that his sight would not fail him a second time. "A member of the Organization was here just now."

"Did he see us?"

Hakuyuu shook his head, unsure. "Perhaps, perhaps not. We shouldn't dally any longer in this area now that it isn't safe, let us return."

If Hakuyuu had stayed longer, he might have seen a veiled man disappearing into the crowd, black staff waving.


	3. During the Fall - Part II

**During The Fall Part II**

The general population was feeling unrest.

Something in their intuition was warning of an impending change in governance, despite the government going to great lengths to keep things under wrap. Or it could have something to do with the amount of white-veiled men roaming around public grounds, stirring up black rukhs and spreading unsavory gossip.

At this point the emperor was just grasping at any new hint threw in his direction, desperate for a solution.

That was when Koutoku made his appearance in court, spouting words of resolution and a new offer from Al-Thamen. Deciding to entertain his notion just this once, Hakutoku permitted one listening with the Organization.

"Who is he?"

Hakuren shrugged as they watched a group of veiled men carry a child towards the throne. Unlike the men around him, the child held an aura that was far more powerful and sinister. He was an unusual being – though dressed in the standard Kou attire, his appearance was anything but. From the long, thick braid hanging from the back of his head to the eerily crimson pupils surveying the room, everything about the child screamed a foreign entity.

Murmurs of dissent swept through the room when the child showed no signs of reverence, even after his dais was placed before the emperor. He merely wore a bored, taunting expression throughout the entire procession, as if he was the lord of this room rather than the imposing figure before him.

"Who is this that you brought before me?" Hakutoku demanded, not happy that the suspicious visitors were once again in court, but if they have methods to solve the current problems, he was at least willing to be slightly accommodating.

"My emperor, we humbly beg your forgiveness for the Banker's rude request last time. In order to show our sincerest apology, we have obtained and now present before you a treasure from the Far East – a child of wonder and miracle." Simultaneously, the veiled men bowed in unison, leaving the child sitting there. He didn't budge an inch from the small throne that he was carried on.

Hakutoku raised one eyebrow questioningly. "I have no use for a child at court."

"Allow us to demonstrate to you his ability," one of the veiled men flicked his wrist at the child, indicating by the movement for the child to work his magic. The child rolled his eyes as if it was the most bothersome thing in the world to deal with these people, but stood up nonetheless from his little platform.

All the members of the court gasped when, instead of walking, the child floated down from his platform and onto the throne's staircase. Even after he landed, his hair floated in the air as if carried by an invisible wind.

"We present to you Judal, an Oracle from the far Eastern countries. He can help you look into the future and guide your Empire towards a grand design."

Instantly the court came to life as members discussed the potential of such a child. No one noticed how Judal glanced towards the imperial princes, his face suddenly morphing into a Chesire's grin. But it was only a fleeting glance before his head snapped back towards the throne as if being forcefully turned.

"Silence!" Hakutoku raised his voice to settle the court. Once the last murmur died out, he turned towards the foreign visitors again. "I have listened to your requests and offerings, but I cannot accept a being of unknown background into my court. Your presence is not welcomed in this palace."

"But dear, I think he is a very cute child. Can't we at least keep him?" Gyokuen, who was formerly silent throughout the whole meeting, interjected from her seat. She latched onto her husband's arm while she spoke. "I don't think a child can be of much problem in the palace."

"What is mother thinking?" Hakuren hissed from the side of his mouth when he saw their father's expression waver.

"I have no clue, but we cannot allow even one person from these people into the court." Hakuyuu whispered back before standing up from his seat and making his way towards the throne. "Father, I advice that you do not keep this child. We already have our hands full dealing with _certain_ events recently, we cannot afford to have more things to deal with." He glanced pointedly at the visitors when he emphasized 'certain', but they didn't take the bait.

Everyone in the room turned their attention towards the First Imperial Prince. They could sense the Emperor deliberating, torn between suggestions made by two people dear to him.

"Hakuyuu, don't be a spoilsport. Think of what the child could do for our Empire if he is truly an Oracle? And if he turns out to be a fake, there is still no harm in keeping him here. I am sure he will be very well-behaved." Gyokuen flashed her sweetest smile at her oldest son. As if on cue, Judal bowed his head, looking for all the world like a well-mannered child.

That small action seemed to win Hakutoku over. "We will let the child stay for now under the conditions that none of your organization stay within the palace. But if he acts suspiciously in any ways, I will be swift in delivering my punishment."

"Of course, my Emperor." The men bowed and retreated from the chamber.

The court was quickly dismissed thereafter. In the midst of people moving about, Hakuyuu didn't see where Judal was brought to. One moment the child was standing on the throne and in the next, he was gone, little pedestal and all. The Emperor and Emperess also retired to their own respective chambers, leaving the two princes in the council chamber.

~oOo~

"Kouen."

The unexpected call halted the red-haired teen in his tracks. "What is it that you require of this one, First Imperial Prince?"

"Meet me tonight in my room. Go by this route." Hakuyuu handed a piece of paper to Kouen. "Make sure no one is tailing you."

Kouen knew better than to ask what the prince wanted. He doubted that Hakuyuu would ambush him - the man was noble in this sense, he didn't need to worry about any harm coming to him. "Yes, my Prince."

Hakuyuu gave a curt nod and walked on with Hakuren by his side, the two princes conversing quietly between themselves, soft snippets of '_that child_', '_danger'_ and '_Organization'_ floating towards the red-headed noble standing some ways off.

Kouen waited until he was in the privacy of his own chambers before he unfolded the paper, carefully imprinting the route into his mind and then burning it. Given the secretive nature of the way the Prince handed him the paper, he understood implicitly that all evidence of their encounter should be destroyed as soon as possible. Once certain that not even a single shred of the print were left, Kouen began to make his preparations.

When night fell, he made his way towards the prince room via a circular path around a pond edge, weaving amongst the cattails and using them as additional cover. Slick mud acted as dampener to his travel, silencing any footsteps except the occasional squelch when Kouen pulled too fast. Several times he slipped, only saved by quick reflexes when his hands grabbed onto the cattail stalks. Finally, after many twists and turns, he made his way passed the First Imperial Prince's garden.

Before Kouen left the area though, he was careful enough to remove his shoes, washing it with the waters of the pond and scrubbing it with some cattails to remove treks. Only when these were done did he move towards his destination.

"Enter." A voice answered when Kouen followed the instructions on the paper and rapped the door lightly in a rhythmic pattern.

The teen walked into the room, careful to not drip any water on the floor. Hakuyuu was seated by his table, dressed in nothing more than a thin nightgown, his hair for once escaped from the confines of the head ornament. Under the influence of the dim candlelight, his eyes seemed more turquoise than the usual sky blue and it added a layer of depth and sophistication into his being. The older man was leaned slightly over the table, apparently reading a scroll before the interruption. Even so, in this lax state, there was a quiet austerity about him. It was a side of the prince that Kouen have never seen before and something that would be engraved into the latter's mind for years to come.

When Kouen entered, Hakuyuu peered up from his paper and beckoned the boy to sit down. "Do you know about Judal?" No point in circumventing their conversation. They were short on time here.

"I have heard of him, but have never seen him until today. The Organization is very secretive about his nature. I cannot provide any further information on him."

"Does Koutoku know about him?" Hakuyuu pressed.

"I do not know."

The older man sucked in a deep breath. He really didn't want to involve Kouen in this whole mess, what with his favoritism of the younger boy, but there really wasn't an option. They needed information, someone that could go with relative ease around Koutoku's household. "I need you to do something for me. Find out more about the Oracle and his ties to the Organization. Also find out how much your father knows about the Oracle and what plans he had in mind. Can you help me do that much? This is for the benefit of the Empire." He had no doubt in his mind that Kouen was a rational person that had the good of the Empire on his mind. If there was one thing that Hakuyuu was proud of, it was his acute judgment of people which had seldom led him wrong.

There was a moment of hesitation as Kouen deliberate on the request. Even though Hakuyuu provided the option of backing out, his tone implied that Kouen didn't have any other choices. If he were to refuse, he would ultimately lose the trust and respect of the Imperial Prince, something that he treasured immensely. Besides, it was not like he wasn't keeping a lookout on the Organization already. What was so hard about keeping the lookout on another additional person?

"Yes, I would do as you asked to the best of my ability," Kouen bowed.

Only then did Hakuyuu smile. "Thank you, you have my gratitude for it."

After Kouen left, Hakuyuu sighed and placed his head upon his arm. Somehow he felt like he was doing something immoral by engaging his younger cousin in the issue. However, for the better of the empire and as an experienced general, Hakuyuu also knew when sacrifices needed to be made.

The opportunity to meet the mysterious Oracle came sooner than expected, but not in the form of Kouen.

Hakuyuu had just finished dealing with the more urgent matters and found some time to spend with his siblings. He took them towards the little pond behind his private garden, allowing them to frolic near the waters. In the midst of their play, when it was least expected, Gyokuen appeared with an uninvited guest.

"Mother," Hakuyuu stood up from where he was squatted beside Hakuryuu, his sight moving to the little figure hidden behind the empress's folds of robes.

"You can come out, dear," Gyokuen smiled to the little figure, moving slightly to the side and ushering him out.

A head of dark, tufted hair appeared, followed by gleaming red eyes and a bored expression. Judal came out from behind his hideout and stared at the siblings. The younger ones moved slightly back, unnerved by the newcomer's staring eyes.

"Mother," Hakuyuu repeated, his tone taking on an edge. Be it an adult or child, letting a stranger into the family compound was strictly prohibited.

"Meet my children – Hakuyuu, Hakuren, Hakuei and cute Hakuryuu." Gyokuen acted as if her oldest son hadn't spoken, pointing to each of them as she introduced their name. "This is Judal, please treat him nicely." She ushered the foreign child forward.

A flash of displeasure fleeted across Judal's eyes before he executed a stiff bow. "Pleased to meet you."

The two oldest siblings looked at one another, a silent communication passing within that brief look, after which Hakuyuu nodded. "Pleased to make your acquaintance."

They conversed for awhile, the three adults talking about nothing in particular whereas Hakuryuu and Hakuei tried to play with the newcomer. But Judal turned down all their offers of play, not in the least interested in playing with the royalties. He stood by himself near Gyokuen, all the while looking around at the palace wing.

After a while, Gyokuen took her leave. Judal trailed obediently behind her. "It is late. I shall retire to my chamber first. Hopefully I can see you again at another time."

"Yes mother," all the siblings echoed.

Just as Gyokuen and Judal turned the corner, Hakuyuu saw the Oracle turned back. His eyes landed on the three princes and in an instant, a most saccharine smile crossed his features.

"Bye bye," Judal called out, all traces of innocence gone as he grinned knowingly back at them. And for the first time, Hakuyuu felt a deep fear run through him.

~oOo~

Another morning greeted the Kou Empire, the tranquility of which was broken by brawls in the market. Several youngsters had set fire into the government's financial office using homemade fireworks. With the easterly winds blowing strongly, the flames spread in no time, passing into a nearby neighborhood. It happened that this neighborhood was occupied by high-ranking court officials. The flames licked hungrily at the wooden structures, consuming it within the blink of an eye.

Standby guards and soldiers rushed to the scene, carrying buckets of water with them as onlookers surrounded the area. It took several hours for the flames to be finally put out, but no suspects were caught. They had disappeared the moment the fire and chaos started. However, they left behind a message, a letter that was sent anonymously to a local lord.

"'Down with the Central and their corruption.'" Hakutoku repeated after the messenger made his report.

"Yes, the criminals were apparently targeting the current governance. They purposefully attacked an area with a high density of high-ranking officials."

The emperor nodded, his expression grim. There have been a lot of reports recently on outbreaks in the empire, ranging from local squalls to larger actions such as this fire. All the outbreaks were related to dissent with the current rule and the trouble-makers were mostly clans that were defeated in the past. This was like a domino effect. The capture of the Western clan members had prompted an onslaught of other ex-clans to raise their voice against the government. And as their voices increased, more and more people joined into the ranks, gathering in power like an unstoppable avalanche.

At this rate there will be a large rebellion sooner or later, and the empire would fall into pieces. It was his job to ensure that that didn't happen. And so Hakutoku sent out more emissaries to different areas to negotiate contracts with clan leaders, hoping to dissipate their anger through offerings of peace. While it has successfully ameliorate many of the former uprisings, it had the setback of stretching the Central's influence thin and encouraging other clans to fight for their rights as well.

Meanwhile, Judal appeared near the emperor time and time again in the name of an Oracle and suggested the emperor to forcefully stamp down these uprisings. He was determined that nothing short of violence could draw a full stop to the issues. But time and time again Hakutoku turned down that suggestion, believing in ruling using respect rather than fear.

In no time, the Kou Empire's foundation was shaken as dissension ran rampant.

And then one day, Judal appeared again before the council meeting, dressed in his formal Oracle attire.

"Who allowed his presence in this room?" Hakutoku sighed, tired of the child's suggestions.

"That would be me, my dearest emperor." Gyokuen made her entrance from the side of the room, walking to stand behind Judal. "He has an interesting proposition that may help our current situation."

Murmurs of surprise passed through the room as they saw the empress appear in a council that was solely suited for men. Although Hakutoku made no law against women serving in military ranks or entering into prestigious meetings, they were still generally excluded from such places.

"Speak."

Judal stepped forward, all the while smiling. "You are only an emperor in title, but are you truly worthy of being a true king candidate? Your country is falling apart, that should say something about your poor ruling."

"Why you—" A few generals stood up, hands at their swords. How dare he spout such impudence, in front of the emperor no less!

They were halted by Gyokuen, who raised her hand warningly. "Hear him out. Anyone who harms him is equivalent to disrespecting my will."

The generals looked back at the emperor, awaiting his orders expectantly. Hakutoku sighed and waved his hands. "Let him continue. But realize that I will not tolerate such insolence again."

"I could give you the powers of a king to rule over the land, to win wars and collect treasuries beyond your imagination. All you need to do is summon me and pass my test."

"And what test may this be?"

"A test to see if you are worthy of being a king."

"And if I failed?" Hakutoku propped his cheek on his elbow, clearly not interested in a child's words and was just entertaining him for the sake of his wife.

"You pay with your life." Judal's eyes suddenly took a wild glee in them, the lust for danger apparent.

Immediately, a few more generals rose to their feet, alarmed by his blasphemous claim. Just as quickly, Gyokuen also came forward, shielding Judal with her sleeves. "Stand away from him!"

"Enough!" Hakutoku slammed his hand on the throne for emphasis. "This is a place for formal meetings, not childish brawls. Return to your positions! And you," he turned towards Judal. "Get out of this room right now. We do not have space for a child's words."

"But my emperor-" Gyokuen came forward.

"Including you as well, please return to your own chamber and don't cause any more uproar. Teach this child how to keep his tongue properly."

"…yes, my emperor." Gyokuen dipped her head, leading Judal out of the room by his hand. There was a pout on the child's face, showing his disappointment in failing to incite any arguments.

~oOo~

Things didn't go well at all after the council. On the contrary, it took a sharp dip. The frequency of outbreaks increased at such an alarming pace that sometimes there were two outbreaks occurring at the same time in one street. With how common these occurrences have become, there were hardly any guards left to rectify the situation.

"Tonight's wind is not blowing well," Hakuyuu commented as he watched the willow branches swaying in his garden. The moon was partly veiled by dark clouds, leaving the corridors shrouded in darkness. Not even the numerous candles placed along the pillars were enough to illuminate their path.

Closely behind him came Hakuren, who shuddered slightly at his brother's words. "Let's not talk about such unlucky omens. Things are bad enough as it is lately."

Hakuyuu readily agreed, not wanting to breach anymore unsavory topics. But an abrupt movement in the garden caught his attention. He thought he saw shadows moving near the lake, disappearing behind the fake mountains. "Who is it there?" He lowered his voice as he drew his sword, carefully angling it so the blade didn't reflect whatever little moonlight there was. Hakuren followed his example, readying his spear as they slowly made their way to the spot they last saw the suspicious shadows.

And then they saw it, dim silhouettes weaving amongst the fake rocks, their movements lean and stealthy. Had it not been the occasional flicker of light off reflected metals, the two princes would not have spied these shadows. But as luck would have it, whoever was sneaking was not very skilled in the arts of stealth.

When they saw two – no, three people emerge from behind the mountain, Hakuyuu and Hakuren went into action.

They charged into the fray, Hakuyuu removing the weapons from two men with quick blows to their head, rendering them unconscious. The third man was slightly faster and trickier. He ran blindly onwards, jumping into the lake and swimming. Fortunately, Hakuren's spear was long enough to catch onto his shirt and haul him bodily from the water. The second prince dumped the man onto the ground roughly, leg stepping on his chest to prevent him from running away.

"Who are you and what is your purpose here?" Hakuyuu asked as he watched the man gave up struggling. In the dim darkness of the night, he couldn't make out the man's features. But based off the attire, the man was a common civilian, most likely a rebel from a previous clan.

The man opened his mouth to speak, but rather than forming words, he started gurgling on white foam. After some struggling, he ceased moving. He was dead. The two princes stared in shock at the dead man.

"My my, we can't have him revealing too much, can we? Not that it will change anything."

At that voice, Hakuren stiffened again, fear stamped across his expression.

"Mother," Hakuyuu spun around, seeing his mother standing on the little bridge across the lake. Behind her stood a couple more veiled men, and in her right hand was a staff, the design of which was the likes he had never seen before. The end of the staff glowed a purple-black color. Judal was floating a few distances off, his eyes glinting with glee as he watched the proceeding. "Are you involved in the assassinations and outbreaks lately?"

Gyokuen's face contorted into a sickening smile that almost seemed inhuman. "What if I am?"

"Why are you doing this? What do you hope to gain from making the empire fall?"

Gyokuen covered half of her face with her sleeve. "For the sake of welcoming Father into this world and for the sake of destroying Solomon's arrogance, I need to set certain plans into action."

"What are you talking about?"

"None which concerns you. Ah, my bad, perhaps it _does_ concern you in some ways." Gyokuen tittered. "I need you two and Hakuryuu dead in order for the plan to proceed accordingly." As if on cue, a loud wail that seemed more beast than human rendered the night air. In no time, torches lit up following the sound as people in the household woke up. More and more screams were heard in other parts of the palace.

"Ah, it's almost time," Gyokuen looked up into the night sky. "The rebels have made their way inside; they should start the killing about now. Have fun and good night, my dear children." She waved and in a sudden blast of wind, disappeared from sight. Not a single trace of Al-Thamen and Judal was left behind.

"We must hurry and find Hakuryuu," Hakuyuu was the first of the two to snap out of his daze.

As if emerging from a dream, the sudden din of chaos crashed into their ears, making them realize the direness of the situation. Blood-curdling cries surrounded them, some cut off in the middle when the owner was brutally murdered. It was not the time for them to wonder about their mother's strange powers and connections with the Organization. Their siblings were in trouble.

On their way to their brother's quarter, the two princes encountered many dead servants and some dead rebels. They also confronted several wandering rebels - obviously lost in their navigation of the complex palace hallway, quickly disposing of them and hurrying forward.

Thankfully, although the rebels have infiltrated the quarters, they didn't seem to know the exact location of the royalties' room. No one had reached Hakuryuu's area yet. Hakuren went in to retrieve their youngest sibling while Hakuyuu stood watch. The young prince was scared beyond words, clinging desperately to his older brother's shirt as he followed them blindly. After that, they made their way to Hakuei's side, only to find that their sister had been evacuated early on by some guards.

"How about father?" Hakuren asked as he speared another man. Hakuryuu was still holding onto his pants leg, making it even harder for him to move.

"I am sure he can take care of himself. Our priority is to get out of here fast." Hakuyuu ordered as he ran his sword through two more men, their blood spraying all over his white robes. The enemies kept on coming now that they have spied the two royalties, and just as quickly as they came, the two princes hacked them down, determined to protect their youngest brother. In no time the whole area was littered with the wounded and dead.

But these were not what made Hakuyuu nervous. It was the rapidly growing smell of smoke that warned him of a fire somewhere in the palace. Sure enough, it didn't take long for him to spy red flames fanning out towards them, jumping from one wooden pillar to the next, consuming everything in its path without abandon. And in no time, they were surrounded by angry fires, threatening to consume them as well.

By then a few of the rebels have realized their perilous position as well, but rather than keeping calm, they ran about in panic, pushing their comrades right into the hungry flames. Nonetheless, there was still a large number that kept coming at the princes, deadest on fulfilling their missions.

"!"

Hakuyuu turned at his youngest brother's cries just in time to see a sword rammed into Hakuren's back. The second prince didn't even have the chance to cry out before he was down on the ground and dead, his face frozen in confusion. With his fall, the enemies surged forward, swarming in on the remaining two.

But Hakuyuu did not falter in his defense. He knew it was a losing battle from the way his blood ran into his eyes and the increasing difficulty with breathing, which might have something to do with the fires around them burning away precious air. Yet he still hadn't completed his mission: he needed to get the message out, notify their father and the empire about the empress's betrayal. All along they had been doubting the wrong suspects, believing that only ex-clan members were capable of the assassinations when in fact, the mastermind was someone so close to the emperor.

Hakuyuu looked down at his youngest sibling and a new energy flooded through his tiring limbs. It was highly unlikely of him to escape, what with the increasing wounds on his body, but he could still get Hakuryuu out. He felt a sword slide cleanly through the frontal portion of his head, cutting away the hair and leaving an ugly gash. The attack left him temporarily reeling from pain and opened to the enemies. More and more weapons impaled through his body as he fought blindly, one against many, protecting his only chance.

And so he hacked away, felling one enemy after the other.

In the end, only the two princes were left standing. Hakuyuu felt his body gave out as he fell to the ground, his knees hitting painfully against concrete. Hakuryuu came to him, crying and begging for him to stand up again. What with the blood clouding his vision, it was hard for him to make out his brother's features.

Hakuyuu shook his head, his mind made as he held onto the younger boy. "Ryuu, look at me. I need to tell you something important that you have to pass on to father. The one that tried to kill us is-" he leaned next to the boy's ears, "-mother." He didn't know what prompted him, but he added, "remember this well and avenge our death." With that, he used his remaining strength to run his sword across his own abdomen, spilling his life over his brother to protect him from the flames.

Little did he know that his words were going to be the trigger for his brother to step off the wrong path. And little did he know that their father was already dead, perished along with them in the fire.


	4. After the Fall

**After the Fall (Epilogue)**

Despite the magnitude of the fire, it ended by the time the first ray of sunlight peeked over the mountaintop. Large wisps of smoke curled into the air like a death signal, heralding the tragedy that transpired last night. A whole segment of the palace – mainly the royal quarters – was burned down to ashes. So thorough was the fire in its job that it was hard to separate the charred remains of furniture to actual corpses when all of them were reduced to the same black soot.

Strangely, none of the other palace wings were damaged. As if some greater force was at work, the fire ended in a neat line right after the royal chambers. It was like someone had drawn a line to chart the boundary of the fire.

And because of this unnatural phenomenon, gossips arose. People saw this as a sign of the deities delivering their punishment to those who were corrupted. The emperor had died along with his two eldest sons and the third was barely alive. All that was left of the previous reign were the womenfolk, and this was a clear sign that Hakutoku's rule was over.

Although it took a while, the ex-royals' corpses were finally recognized and retrieved from the pile of fatalities. There was a standard funeral ceremony where the bodies were taken to an open space reserved for such an occasion and buried. People thronged the streets to watch the caskets being moved to its final destination. They casted white petals and papers, though more out of custom than respect for the deceased, for majority of the public already held negative opinions of the governance in the past few months. There were a few that genuinely grieved for the passing of a great emperor, and dread filled them as they wonder who will ascend the throne next.

The answer came soon enough.

A day right after the ceremony, Koutoku announced his ascension. There were some uproar from the elders claiming that no new emperor should step up until the mourning rituals have fully passed – which was at least a few hundred days later – but Koutoku silenced them with a firm glare.

"The abruptness of his Majesty and his sons' passing necessitates a new ruler to take control immediately and stamp down the unrest before the Empire crumbles."

"But what about the third prince Hakuryuu? By the laws he should take over as one who possesses the royal lineage."

Koutoku gave a mirthless smirk. "The current situation is urgent and the young prince is still too inexperienced to govern. That, added with his trauma of the event, requires a period of time for him to adjust before he can successfully take up the responsibilities." Seeing the doubt in the face of the court members, he added for good measure, "worry not, my ascension should only be temporary. Once the prince is capable, I would return the position to him. In the meantime, I will take my brother's wife and ascertain that she and her two children maintain their position."

That seemed to settle the matter. People yielded to the newest emperor, though none knew that Koutoku would change the laws soon after ascension, forbidding Hakuryuu from inheriting his father's powers.

Along with Koutoku's entrance came the Organization. They walked freely now in and out of the palace, acting like it was their home. Those who opposed them disappeared mysteriously, and so people learned to leave them alone as long as they were not doing obvious harm.

At the same time, Judal was proclaimed officially as the Oracle of the Kou Empire.

In just a month, the coronation ceremony was held. People flocked to the palace's open square, waiting in anticipation to see the new ruler.

"The time has come for the old reign to end and for the empire to move into a new era," Koutoku bellowed as he stepped towards the balcony overlooking the square. He raised his hand as cheers met his appearance. "I will ensure that the empire enter into an even more prosperous period as we acquire 'new help'." No one may have understood his words, but they cheered nonetheless at the promise of an even greater future.

No one noticed the emperor glance behind to look at Al-Thamen when he mentioned the _new help_. Judal stood in the forefront, smirking as the emperor's eyes met his. He bowed, an action that was followed suit by all of the Organization's men behind him.

"May the empire greet a new day."

**A/N: Finally done~ It took a while but it is finally done~~ Huge thanks to all those who have read and reviewed this story! :)**


	5. Side story: HakurenxKoumei

**Side Story: Concerning Princes and Statuses**

"Long-live the Emperor, may you live for ten thousand years-"

"Louder! And bow lower! Again!"

"Yes." Koumei sighed in irritation as he repeated the salute for what must be the umpteenth time that day until his instructor was finally satisfied. As a member of the royal branch family, he was not exempted from the customs and teachings of the palace. Personally though, he found all these lessons nothing but a hassle, used only by those who desire to be recognized for their ranks. After all, why concern oneself with verbose greetings if they were never going to meet the person in question? It was not like Koumei expected himself to actually talk to the Emperor, or any members of the royal family for the matter.

"So you are the second cousin that hides in his room all the time."

To say surprise was an understatement for Koumei when he saw the second imperial prince in his palace wing one fine afternoon. For one, he didn't expect royal company. For the other, he didn't think that the imperial prince would recognize him amongst the hundreds of members that form the branch family – even if he was one of the more legitimate and prominent members in said branch family line.

"What are you doing here?" He blurted out, all manners of propriety lost in a moment off guard.

"Hmm…nothing much," Hakuren shrugged, looking for all the world like it was commonplace for a prince to appear in someone else's backyard. It was apparent that there was something else that he wanted to talk about, but he was holding back purposefully, waiting for the other to take the initiative to ask him. If he noticed anything about Koumei's inappropriate greeting earlier, he didn't show it.

_Right, and the Empire was built in one day._ Koumei snorted to himself, not in the least convinced. But he knew it was not his place to question a royal member, much less someone who _could_ potentially be the emperor one day.

"Good afternoon, my Reverend Prince, forgive me for my rude outburst prior. What may you require of this one?" Koumei clasped his hands together and kneeled on one knee in the standard pose of recognition. He tried to suppress an involuntary groan at the strain placed on his thigh and back in this position. Perhaps if he acted according to customs the prince would forgive him for his behavior earlier and leave him alone.

But rather than accepting the salute, Hakuren surprised Koumei for the third time that day by making a mock shudder. "Please stop with all these waffles, it gives me the creeps. Just call me normally as you would anyone of your family."

"Pardon, but…" the younger of the two trailed off, not quite sure how he could respond. _Why do I need to address you any differently? Isn't it enough trouble that I have to learn all the standard salutes? _All sorts of complains were on the tip of his tongue, but he held back.

"But what?" Hakuren leaned forward, grinning at the fidgeting boy. It was obvious that Koumei was not accustomed to holding such a position as can be seen from his constantly drooping head and shaking fingers. The boy was really straining.

"But it is not polite."

"You really cut back on your words, don't you?" the second imperial prince frowned. First his cousin was talking too much with all those greetings, now he was talking too little. Little did he know that Koumei was simply too lazy to keep up a conversation for long. There was no response from the younger boy who was still struggling with his pose. "I give you permission to stand up."

A loud exhale of relief was emitted – which Hakuren noted was _not_ at all polite, but he didn't bring it up – and Koumei struggled to stand up from his kneeling position. Just at the last minute, his feet gave out and he stumbled forward, right into Hakuren.

"Woah, steady there," the older of the two held out his hand, bracing the other carefully. "You might want to strengthen your calf and thigh muscles." There was humor in his voice and amusement dance in his eyes.

Ignoring the slight at him, Koumei merely looked tired, breathing heavily from the exertion. Falling straight into the prince's arms, literally, was not something that he anticipated, and it was definitely not something he hoped that would happen again in the future. He straightened himself, but noticed the hands still on him. "You can let me go now."

_Not an apology or expression of gratitude_? _What an interesting little one. _Hakuren smiled as he patted the other on the head. "Well, I have to leave for now. May we meet again in the future." He waved his hand before easily executing a high-jump over the walls, never once explaining his reason to be there in the first place.

_May we never cross path again_. Koumei thought to himself, not bothered by why the imperial prince was there as long as he was gone.

~oOo~

'May we meet again in the future' apparently meant two days to be precise in Hakuren's terms.

Koumei was surprised once again to find Hakuren in his private pavilion, loitering around and feeding bread crumbs to his pigeons. The older of the two turned when he spied his younger cousin.

"Good morning," Hakuren waved his hand cheerily as if they had known each other for years.

Understandably, Koumei was none too pleased that his private moment had been intruded upon. Moreover, he felt somewhat betrayed – ridiculous as it may be – by his pigeons, which were flocking towards the other male.

"I take it you feed them often?" Hakuren continued as he saw the food bag in Koumei's hand.

"It is my past time." It took all of Koumei's willpower to not just turn tail and escape from the other's presence. Instead, he took a deep breath, approached the other and sat some distance away. He noted with satisfaction that some of the birds began returning to him.

"So what do you do other than feed pigeons?" Hakuren close the distance between them and sat himself comfortably beside the boy, purposefully overlooking how the other inched away from him.

"I alternate between learning my lessons and resting."

"Boring," Hakuren snatched a crumb from Koumei's fingers – much to the other's irritation – and flicked it at the birds. He received no answer from the younger boy. "Don't you play anything? My younger siblings would often beg us to play with them."

Koumei tried really hard not to roll his eyes at the suggestion. He would willingly pass any day for games conjured by his youngest brother. That rascal would be the end of him. The last time Kouha visited his room, it looked like a desert tornado had gone through the area. Scattered pieces of papers, formerly Koumei's carefully written works, littered the ground. His ink bottle lay open, the contents of which puddle everywhere on his desk, while doodles of what he suspect was crude attempts at his portrait decorated blank scrolls. Although Koumei was a lazy person in regards to the organization of his work, there was still a sort of disarrayed system to his things, and he was none too pleased to find said system disrupted. Needless to say, Kouha was banned from his room for a long while thereafter. But those were details that the second imperial prince didn't need to know about. "I play chess."

"So you _do_ know how to have a little fun." Hakuren clapped his hands. "Why don't we head in and have a few rounds?"

"It would be my honor," Koumei answered. If there was any game that he excelled at, it was Chinese chess. There was no one else in his family that could best him in strategic games.

So it came as an unpleasant surprise when Hakuren not only beat him in his own game, but continue to do so in all the subsequent rounds. His tactics changed in every game, leaving Koumei lost for a strategy. Where Koumei thought two steps ahead, Hakuren turned the tides by moving four or five steps further. There was just no telling with this man. He was surprisingly ruthless when it comes to gaming, willingly sacrificing his own pawns to defeat the other, an action that contrasted with his laidback attitude.

"I don't want to play anymore," Koumei grumbled when he lost yet another round.

"Given up?" Hakuren cleared the board. He resisted laughing at the kicked puppy look on his cousin's face, reminding him of his siblings when they lost a game. Of course he didn't expect Koumei to triumph him. He was, after all, a prestigious military captain for a reason. However, the younger cousin has potentials that he couldn't deny. "Here, let me teach you a few things about chess."

~oOo~

There was no reason why Hakuren would make it a habit to visit Koumei, and the person himself didn't know it either. What started out as a search for clues about Al-Thamen on Hakuren's part turned into a common ritual between the two relatives when he realized that Koumei was just as clueless about said organization.

Hakuren would turn up unannounced, be it in the early dawns or late evenings, and the two would spend time chatting about the most mundane things or play chess. More often than not, they did both things at once. The frequencies of Hakuren's visits vary, ranging from coming daily to not seeing each other for an entire month when the older of the two was out on a military campaign. It all depended on their schedules.

In the meantime, Koumei had also grown accustomed to the idea of the royalty visiting him. He no longer felt alarmed at the familiar sight of the prince in his pavilion. In fact, time and time again he found himself looking forward to their meeting. What he liked about the second prince was that although Hakuren was talkative, he was the type that didn't demand attention. One could remain silent for the entirety of the talk and Hakuren wouldn't mind at all. He would just continue at his own pace, glad as long as there was an audience.

"Say, Koumei, this is a purely hypothetical question: but what do you think of a world ruled only by one king?" the question came out of the blue one day from the prince.

"One king as in one governance?"

"One king as in one individual who has control over everyone."

"This is a stupid notion," Koumei answered, watching the pigeons fought one another for food. "There are many issues with the idea. For one, it places too much power and reliance on one person. For the other, it is in the nature of men to have different ideals and we are bound to war against one another, just like these pigeons."

Hakuren nodded. "But what if we have a war that ends all war? What if we destroy the source of these dissensions? It may take a long time, but human memories are ever short-lived. We can erase the different ideals and unite them under one flag."

Koumei raised an eyebrow. "It would take a very long time."

"It would, but think of the final outcome." Hakuren leaned forward, "unity and peace for everyone."

"But empires are bound to rise and fall, and so shall the united world," Koumei pointed out. _Just like how our current one is breaking down_.

The implicit statement didn't go unnoticed. "Chances of discord are low if people are subjected to the same ideal since young."

"So you are essentially saying a brainwashed world." Koumei pointed out dryly. "I don't buy it."

"Hey, it's just a hypothetical question," Hakuren shrugged, though his smile didn't reach his eyes at all. He looked extremely serious in all honesty and Koumei shuddered at the determination burning in his eyes.

~oOo~

To not have Hakuren visit for a couple of weeks was common occurrence, so Koumei didn't dwell too much on the issue when his older cousin didn't appear in his garden. He was slightly lonely, but it was all fine. Hakuren would come back soon enough.

But in the midst of one night though, he was given a rough awakening. There were people running in the hallway, carrying buckets of water and wet fabrics. They shouted to one another, asking for more water and demanding everyone to hurry. Koumei was annoyed by the commotion and opened his window, following with his eyes the people who were hurrying outside. What he saw made him gape in surprise and dismay.

There was a fire in the royal quarters. Even though his room was quite a distance from the royal family's chambers, the unmistakable hellish glow of orange was visible in the night sky. In fact, the fire must have been fiery enough for Koumei to feel the heat at this distance.

_What is going on?_ Thought Koumei as he watched more people rushing to the scene, amongst them Kouen. He wanted to join as well, but he didn't have the stamina to run there in one go. All he could do was stand and watch. From the yelling in the hallway, he gathered that a group of rebels have infiltrated the royal quarters and he found his thoughts wandering to a certain dark-haired man, oddly worried whether Hakuren was caught in the incident.

_Nothing will happen_, Koumei assured himself by and by. Hakuren had endured countless battles before and emerged unscathed so far. A group of unruly rebels shouldn't be a problem for him. _But the nature of the attack itself was bizarre_, an internal voice in his mind warned him. No ordinary group of rebels should be able to make it pass the layers of outer walls and security, much less into somewhere as internal and guarded as the royal quarters.

And so Koumei passed the night with insomnia as the huge fire raged on. There were too many gossips and rumors being passed around in the hallway, to the point that Koumei wasn't certain what was the truth anymore. He tried to shut out all the voices, convincing himself that everything will be fine once he woke up.

~oOo~

A sepulchral silence descended following the wake of the fire. When Koumei woke up, he was informed that the flames had been put out around dawn. Unfortunately, the emperor, first imperial prince and second imperial prince didn't make it out alive. Preparations were already set in motion following the emperor's will and royal mourning.

Koumei had immediately ordered for a palanquin to deliver him to the scene of the incident, not willing to believe the news until he saw the actual scene himself.

Charred remains of what was formerly the royal quarters greeted his sight when he arrived. Nothing was left standing of the emperor's chamber, not even the strong pillars that support the building. Smoke was still rising though, indicating that the fire had just been recently put out.

There were people running about, picking out corpses from the damage. Most corpses were burnt so badly that it was well-nigh impossible to distinguish whether they were servants or rebels. They were carried out and deposited on the open grounds outside as people set about trying to place an identity to the body.

Koumei didn't want to believe the news, not until he saw the scorched remains of the second imperial prince carried out. Although it was burnt so badly that all the features were erased, he recognized it immediately, courtesy of the many times he spent with his cousin.

He felt like throwing up.

Quickly averting his eyes to the side, Koumei saw that his brother was not in a better condition: Kouen's face was pale and his hands were clenched tightly. The only difference was that Kouen dared look on as the bodies were lifted away. Koumei didn't have the guts to do so. He turned away from the scene.

It was not until the actual ceremony where the bodies were buried that the initial shock passed. All the stress and emotions came down hard and Koumei had never felt as lethargic as he did this moment. He almost collapsed during the ceremony, holding himself only by sheer willpower that he didn't know he possessed.

Things in the Empire were changing, too fast for him to catch up. One moment he was still wondering when Hakuren would return, the next he was confronted with the sight of a ghastly corpse, and things rolled downhill from there. According to the will of the emperor and the customs of the empire, the next in line should be the next male heir available, which turns out to be Hakuryuu. But given the young age of the prince and his unstable state of mind after the incident, the position was passed ultimately to Koutoku, who asserted his power far too quickly. The empress was to marry the new emperor, acting as a support and using her knowledge about the previous emperor to guide the new one.

That, Koumei didn't particularly mind.

What he minded was his switch in position overnight from an insignificant noble to royalty. One moment he had to learn the proper decorum to address the royals, and the next he was re-learning things, this time on how to address people lower in hierarchy. In addition, he had to cram in lessons about how to govern, the current ins-and-outs of the empire and much more. There was hardly any time for his pigeons, and even less to mourn over the loss of someone close to him (or as close as he could ever think of).

But there was, however, one thing that stuck to Koumei's mind.

It was the idea of the one world that Hakuren mentioned to him that day. It seemed like eons ago when in actuality it was just a few months past. Kouen had approached him with the same idea, and both were surprised that each knew about it. From there they discussed about its possibilities, and the more Koumei thought about it, the more he was convinced that it could happen, no, it _must_ happen.

There was enough violence in that one night for him. If there was a possibility that they could eradicate conflicts in the future after uniting under the same ideal, then by all means, he was willing to make the idea come to pass. He didn't want a repeat of what happened that night, the loss of which was too great for him at such a young age. But then again, there was no time for such grieving.

Koumei opened his eyes as he greeted another new day. "Make preparations to re-organize Balbadd kingdom's governance and remove their autonomy."

There was still much to do.

**A/N:**

**One-shot featuring HakurenxKoumei that I have planned from a few months back. **

**I would like to express special thanks t for pointing out my error in the story, I've accidentally remembered Koutoku as Rentouku, so I've went back to change it. Hopefully it is amended now...**

**On another note, would anyone be interested in knowing about the locations I've used as referenced background for this story? If so, I could make a post about it. **

**Once again, huge thanks to those who took their time to read this story!**


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